Loving the Piano Man
by Pozagee
Summary: Gilbert, in an attempt to help Roderich adapt to the modern world, pays him a visit with a gift. Human names used; yaoi implications.


Roderich couldn't help but smile, as he heard the beep of someone requesting entrance to his apartment. Of course, it was more a smirk than a smile; after all, he knew who it was.

He stood up from his piano, walking through his small apartment to the door. He paused briefly, letting the man wait a bit, before he pressed the intercom button. "Roderich Edelstein," he said, identifying himself.

"Please let me in..." came a whiny voice. Roderich's smirk only widened.

"And who might you be?"

"You know damn-well who I am! Let me in!" the other voice said, his tone changing from begging to demanding.

Roderich hummed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm...I don't know. You sound like a rather dangerous fellow; I'm not sure it would be wise for me to let a potentially dangerous individual into my home..."

"Aw, come on Roddy!" the voice whined, using his nickname for Roderich. "Come on...I have a present for you!"

Roderich hesitated; he liked free things. Perhaps whatever present it was would be worth the amount of time he'd have to spend in the annoying man's presence. "...Fine. I'll buzz you in."

"Whoop!" the voice said, before he was cut off by the buzzer.

A few minutes passed, before a knock sounded on Roderich's door. He opened it, revealing a man dressed casually in a long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans. His hair was messy, sticking out from beneath a base-ball cap.

"Roddy~" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around Roderich suddenly. Roderich pushed the albino off him, glaring.

"Don't act so childish in public!" he snapped, pulling the man into his apartment, before shutting the door.

The albino man looked around the small apartment at the various furniture and boxes sitting around; most of the boxes were open, but not unpacked, and the furniture at had sheets laid over them. "Hey...I thought you moved here a couple months ago."

Roderich nodded. "I did."

"Then why aren't you unpacked yet?" the man asked, flopping on the sheet-covered couch.

Roderich glared. "For your information, I've been rather busy. Also, it's not polite to pry, Gilbert." He turned from the other man, going to his kitchenette. He hesitated, before turning on the electric kettle, and pulling out a box of cookies that Francis had sent him. He fiddled with the lid, before he was finally able to pry it off. By that time, the kettle was whistling, so he poured the water into the cups, dropping the teabags in afterwards.

Gilbert Beilschmidt pulled himself up into a sitting position, watching his long-time friend/enemy struggle. He smiled, running a hand through his hair. Roderich was obviously not adapting well to the modern world-even his clothes were old-fashioned compaired to Gilbert's.

"Did Arthur send you the teapot?" Gilbert asked.

Roderich nodded, as he disposed of the used tea bags. Putting everything on a tray, he headed over, sitting down on the couch beside Gilbert. "He seemed to think that I needed an electric one. I told him that my stove kettle was perfectly fine, but he insisted."

"And Francis sent you macarons! Yummy!" he exclaimed, immediately grabbing up several of the French cookies. "You're living large!"

Roderich sneered at him. "Hardly. This apartment is rather small, if you hadn't realized."

Gilbert looked around briefly. "Then why'd you move here if you didn't like it? You had a perfectly good mansion, if I remember correctly."

"I didn't say I hated it here," Roderich snapped. "I actually rather like it. It's simple, and seems less empty. Besides...it was rather out-dated, yes? It didn't have any electricity..."

Gilbert rested his chin on his fist. "Really? Jeas, that sucks balls." He paused glancing at Roderich. He man was staring into his tea, frowning slightly. No, Roderich wasn't adapting to this new world well at all, which was really a shame. "Was it lonely at your house?"

Roderich nodded right away. "It's...strange. My house used to be full of so many different people from all over...but for the past hundred years or so, it's been very empty. This new world is strange...and I'm not sure how much I like it."

Gilbert hesitated, before setting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I know what you mean. It took me a while to get used to everything, but Alfred and Matty really helped West and I."

Roderich dipped a cookie into his tea, before he realized what he did. He set both on the tray with a sigh. "I just don't...understand the appeal of bringing in so many new things, when there was nothing wrong with the old things. What's the saying? If it's not broke, don't fix it?"

Gilbert nodded. "Something like that." He stretched, standing. "How's about I help you out a bit? You know, getting a bit more comfortable with things."

Roderich blushed. "I don't need help. I can figure things out on my own," he said defensively.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "I know, but I can help you to actually start to like modern things." Roderich looked unsure. The albino man sighed, going to kneel in front of the other man (which only made Roderich's blush darken). "I had dinner with Francis and Antonio the other day. Antonio was talking about how he was having some problems as well. Francis said that he had some problems earlier, but he figured out that the reason he was having so many issues adapting to the now was because he hadn't let go of his past yet."

Roderich turned his head away from Gilbert slightly. "I don't want to forget my past Gilbert. There were good times and bad times, but all of what's happened has made me, me."

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "I'm not saying you should just forget everything. I'm saying that you just need to accept the past...that's all."

"Accept the past to move onto a carefree present and future? Seems unprovable, don't you think?"

"Carefree? Yeah, THAT's improbable. But you'd be much happier and content with your life, I know that much."

"I'm perfectly happy and content!" Roderich snapped.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Yeah, says the guy who's done nothing but frown since i've got here, and is living out of a box-well, several boxes."

"I told you, I've been busy! And maybe I haven't smiled since you've got here for a reason," he said, saying the last part quietly.

Gilbert patted Roderich's cheek. "You know you like me." He straightened. "Otherwise you wouldn't have let me in."

Roderich turned from him, rubbing his cheeks furiously to rid them of the redness that had appeared. "Well, at least here, I have a choice. You can't break into my house any more."

Gilbert sighed. "Yeah, I noticed. So not cool."

Roderich gave a slight smile. Gilbert beamed, falling across the smaller man's lap. "Oh! So you DO like me~" he laughed madly, wrapping his arms around Roderich's waste.

Roderich sneered. "Hardly." He stood, causing Gilbert to slide down his legs, curling around his ankles. Roderich tried to take a step, but failed (rather horribly) falling into a stack of boxes. Gilbert sat up, looking curiously into the Roderich-shaped crater.

"You OK?"

Roderich sat up, rubbing his head. "You idiot! Why on Earth did you trip me?!"

"I didn't mean to..." the man in question muttered.

"You didn't-but you were holding onto my legs!"

"I was giving them some love~!"

Roderich glared at him, climbing to his feet. He picked his way through the living room (which was basically a maze of boxes and furniture) to his piano. It appeared (due to the mountainous stacks of sheet music and books next to the piano) that the only thing that Roderich had actually unpacked was his sheet music.

"Just leave whatever gift you brought here, and get out of my apartment."

Gilbert held a dramatic hand to his chest. "The only reason you let me in was because you wanted a present? Aw, how you hurt my heart..."

Roderich glared at him, but said nothing, as he shuffled around the old music for something he hadn't played before...though he had played everything before, so that was rather impossible.

"Anyway, the present I brought you...well, it isn't exactly something I can leave here..."

Roderich sighed. "Just tell me what it is that you brought."

Gilbert stretched out on the floor, his shirt riding up slightly. He crossed one leg over the other, resting his head on his fist. "Why don't you find out for yourself?!" Roderich looked over to him, curious, although he didn't want to be. Gilbert licked his lips, patting his crotch. "Come on over, Roddy! Unwrap my excellent present~!"

Roderich gave him a disgusted look. "You are despicable! So vulgar..." he muttered, thumbing through the music.

Gilbert laughed at the angry flush that had overcame Roderich's ears. "Oh, come on! I was just joking. Alfred showed me this episode of SNL, where these guys had these boxes all wrapped up nicely on their dicks...I think it was called "Dick in a Box"? Anyway, I found it funny, and I figured you'd like it too!"

Roderich rolled his eyes. "SNL? Saturday Night Live? Stupid American humor."

Gilbert laughed. "Relax, Roddy!" He smiled, pulling a thin package out of his shoulder bag. "Actually, I did bring you something, but if you're not interested..." Roderich stood up, ripping the packaged out of Gilbert's hands, before unwrapping it.

"I, uh, figured if I was going to help you get used to modern times, I'd get you something that you could use."

Roderich stared at the present resting in his hands, his eyes wide. "Gilbert..." he whispered. "This...is sheet music..."

Gilbert beamed. "Not just ANY sheet music! Those are works of the one and only BJ!"

Roderich jolted, his eyes widening. "Excuse me?!"

"Billy Joel, Roddy, Billy Joel." Gilbert stood up, placing a hand on Roderich's shoulder. "His music is really good. It'll help you get into more modern music, and then the modern world~!"

"You make it sound so simple," Roderich muttered, as he went to sit at his piano. Gilbert leaned against the body of the baby grand, smiling and crossing his arms.

Roderich flipped through the sheet music, pausing at one. He set his hands on the keys, fingering the first few measures, before he let the quirky little start-up melody flow from his fingers.

When he finished the prologue, starting on the actual melody, he jolted, as another instrument joined his piano. Looking up, he rose an eyebrow, bemused, at Gilbert who had pulled a harmonica out of his pocket.

When he saw the lyrics, he quietly sang the under his breath.

_It's nine o'clock on a Saturday._

_The regular crowd shuffles in._

_There's an old man sitting next to me,_

_Making love to his tonic and gin._

_He says, "Son can you play me a memory?_

_I'm not really sure how it goes..._

_But it's sad and it's sweet_

_And I knew it complete_

_When I wore a younger man's clothes."_

Gilbert turned around to face the piano, humming under his breath. He watched Roderich's hands dance across the keys, a small smile over coming his lips. And with that, Gilbert joined him in singing the melody.

_Sing us a song you're the piano man!_

_Sing us a song tonight..._

_Well we're all in the mood for a melody,_

_And you've got us feeling alright._

Gilbert but the hermonica to his lips, playing again. The smile on Roderich's face seemed to grow with every note he played, a strange flush coming over his cheeks as well. Briefly, a hand fluttered up, brushing his hair back out of his face, before it came back down on the piano with a colossal amount of power.

_Now John at the bar is a friend of mine._

_He gets me my drinks for free,_

_And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke,_

_But there's someplace that he'd rather be..._

_He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me,"_

_As a smile ran away from his face._

_"Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star_

_If I could get out of this place!"_

_Now Paul is a real estate novelist,_

_Who never had time for a wife,_

_And he's talking with Davy, who's still in the Navy,_

_And probably will be for life._

Such as the lyrics of the song, the smile seemed to disappear from Roderich's face, a serious expression setting in. HIs hands fell across the notes accurately, but with a hint of haste or clumsiness. In a moment of extreme daring, Gilbert sat down beside him on the bench, a hand coming to rest on Roderich's leg. The dark-haired man jumped in shock, not having sensed the other man's movement. But he continued playing and singing, nonetheless.

_And the waitress is practicing politics,_

_As the businessmen slowly get stoned..._

_Yes they're sharing a drink they call loneliness,_

_But it's better than drinking alone._

_Sing us a song you're the piano man,_

_Sing us a song tonight..._

_Well we're all in the mood for a melody,_

_And you've got us feeling alright..._

Roderich stopped suddenly, his hands still positioned on the keys. He licked his lips, as his fingers curled into fists. "I...this song...it's..."

Gilbert smiled slightly. "Finish it off."

And he did, the smile coming back.

_It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday,_

_And the manager gives me a smile..._

_'Cause he knows that it's me they've been coming to see,_

_To forget about life for a while._

_And the piano sounds like a carnival,_

_And the microphone smells like a beer,_

_And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar,_

_And say "Man what are you doing here?"_

Roderich laughed briefly, his fingers putting in an extra bit of melody, his cheeks reddening. Gilbert joined him in the ending chorus.

_Sing us a song you're the piano man,_

_Sing us a song tonight._

_Well we're all in the mood for a melody,_

_And you've got us feeling alright!_

As Roderich played the ending chord, Gilbert suddenly whooped, applauding like mad.

"I knew you'd be good at that song! I knew it!"

Roderich rolled his eyes. "It was called "Piano Man". Of course I'd be good at it."

Gilbert draped an arm over his shoulder. "So what do you think about that type of music? Better than classical?"

Roderich snorted. "I wouldn't say that. It's far less complex...but it's got more catchy of a melody."

Gilbert nodded, a bit surprised that Roderich hadn't shoved his arm off yet. "Hey," he said quietly. "You know...you looked really sexy while you were playing that song."

Roderich blushed, turning from him. "Don't say such things..."

Gilbert swung one leg over the piano bench, hugging Roderich's back to his body. "It's true, though. I think it was 'cause you were smiling. I haven't seen you smile in a long time, Roddy. It's a pretty awesome look."

Roderich ducked his head. "Gil..."

Gilbert suddenly spun Roderich around, pressing his lips against Roderich's. The dark-haired man started to pull away, before it occurred to him: He actually really liked this. Slowly, his eyes drifted shut, his lips moving against Gilbert's, returning the kiss.

When they finally parted, both were red-faced and breathless.

"Hey...Roddy?" Gilbert questioned. Roderich looked at him questioningly.

"Will you be my piano man?"

**_A/N I had to! I heard this song the other day, and I was just like...well, I was like, "Oh, Billy Joel is so awesome! It's been forever since I've heard this song! Wow, I feel like eating chocolate..." Yeah...Well then yesterday I decided to write _****_this fic. So yep._**

**_Anyway, please review!_**


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